Wire fence making machine



(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 1. A. WESTERBERG.

WIRE FENCE MAKINGMACHINE.

Patented Jjune 1,1897.

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Y(No Model.)

6 Sheet-s-Sheet 2,

A. WESTERBERG; WIRE FENCE MAKING MACHINE.

No. 583,557. l Patented Junel, 1897.

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6 sheensnsheeps.

(No Model.)

A. "W16STBRBFRGI ,L WIRE FENCE MAKING MACHINE.

. Patented Junev 1"189'7. l

@gw/Z (o Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 4. A. WESTERBERG. WIRE FENCE MAKING MACHINE.

Patented'June'1,1897.v

(NokModel.)

A. WESTERBBRG. WIRE EENGE MAKING MACHINE.

N0.583,557. Patented June 1,1897;

6 Sheets-Sheet 6.

UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE.

ALFHlID \\'lCS'l`EltlERG, OF DE KALB, ILLNOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE lIAlSl-I dl.-\NUFACTUR1NG COMIANY, OF SAME PLACE.

WIRE-FENcE-MAKING MACHINE'.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 583,557, datedl J une 1, 1897.

Application filed September 19,1896. Serial No. 6,3.3. (No model.)

'o aZfZfw/tont it may concern.-

lie it known that I, ALFRED `WESTERBERG, a citizen of the United States, residing at De Kalb, in the county of De Kalb andState of illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tire-Iience-Making Machines; and I do declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the ac- V companying drawings, and to the letters and ligures of reference marked thereon, which fonm a part of this specification.

My invention has referencclto machin es for making wire fence; audit consists of'mechanism for intermittently feeding'the runners or cables which constitute the horizontal strands when the fence is .in place, and in also intermittently feeding the cross-stays between the strands of the aforesaid runners, which stays are vertical when such stays are in position; also in the provisionl of an automatic stop .for the machine in case of any interruption" in the feeding of the cross or` stay wires.

I attain the above. purposes by the meuhanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whicl Figure l is a'perspective of a machine embodyin g lily-invention, viewed obliquely from one side thereof. Fig. 2 is the same, viewed obliquely from the opposite sideof the ma.

' chine, with the prod uctin position on the machine. Fig. 3 is a partial view of the rear of the machine. Fig. t is a detail of the main driving-shaftand adj unctive parts. Fig. 5 is a det-ail of part of the devices used to transmit the power from said main shaft to the feeding-pinions of the cross-wire. Fig. (i is a detail of the cecentrically-grooved -wheel which drives the twisters. Fig. 7 is a detail of the connection between said eccentric and the transverse reciprocating bar which intermittently rotates the twisters of the cables.

Fig. 8 is adetail of the transverse rod whichV for driving the upright spindle which forms `the loop at the upper end 'of the stay and inserts the short side of said loop in the next succeeding mesh of the top cable, as shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 9 is a detail of the oscillating knife which severs the stays vand the meehanism adjunctive to said knife. Fig 10 is a detail of the mechanism for automatically .Stopping said machine.

Similar letters and figures refer to similar parts throughoutthe several views.

Referring to Fig. 1, A is the frame of the machine", upon which the cables are drawn iu a horizontal position and under some tension through a series' of twisters arranged on the top of tiicmachine parallel with each other, and with two openingsin each longitudinally ofk the machine, through which the strands of the cables-.pass to the winding-axle and to the reel, seated on what we will term, by Way of distinction, the front of the machine.

As the wires come through the twister's and are held open by the spaces between the openings in s aid twisters the cross-stays are instantly shot. horizontally through all of the cables by means of feeding-pinions 26 and 27, shown in the front o'f Fig. l. rlhe entire fabric is then ,advanced the distance between the stays, and during this advance the striprack (shown in Fig. S) drives the stays. 23

'against the previousY twist of the cables 7 3 and, in a line transversely through the latter at right angles thereto. The twisters are then given three or four revolutions, temporarily stopped, a-succeeding stay driven through, and the fabric slightly advanced, as aforesaid, for the operation of said strippers. The fabric is wound under tension' on a removable reel 83, shown at the right in Fig. 1. At the time the stays are shot across the web a portion of the forward end isA turned back by a spindle 4G, (shownin Fig. 8,) so as to be caught in the twist next .succeeding that which follows thestay. Provision is also made for severing the stay the instant it has passed through all the cables. lT11-isis shown partly in Fig. Si.

Referring to Fig. 2, l is the general driving-pulley of the machine, and 2 an idler on shifted when it is desired to stop the machine.

1.00 the same shaft, to which the driving-belt 3 is l The shaft4 of the pulley'l (shown in Fig. 4) extends to about the center of the machine and is provided on its inner end with a pinion 5, which meshes with a gear v6, seated rigidly on the shaft. 7, journaled aerossthe machine parallel to shaft 4 and from which substantially all of the movements of the machine have their origin. A beveled gear 8, seated on shaft 7, engages a corresponding beveled gear 9, seated in the rear of shaft 7 and per pendieular thereto on a shaft 10, on the rear end of which is rigidly seated a disk 11, to which there is adjustably attached the inner end Vof a pitlnan 12. The outer end of the pitman 12 is pivotally connected to the upper end of a nearly vertical arm 13, (see Fig. 5,) the lower end of which arm is pivotally seated on the shaft 14, on which'shaft is rigidly seated a ratchet 15. Apawl 16',"pivotally seated intermediately on the arm 13 in the rotation of the wheel "l1, successively engages the notches on the periphery of the ratchet 15 and thereby im part-s intermittent rotation to the shaft 14. On the shaft 14 is keyed a gear 17, which engages the pinion 18, seated on the shaft 19. On the shaft 19 is also rig idly seated a gear 20, which engages at its upper surface a pinion 21, keyed on the shaft 22. On the opposite end of shaft 22 there is keyed a pinion 23, which engages and actuates the pinion 24, (see Fig. 5,) keyed on the shaft 25, upon which there is also keyed the corrugated stay-feeding pinion 26. On the shaft 22, between the pinions 21 and 23, is rigidly seated the opposite stay-feeding pinion 27. The twin feeding-pinions 26 and 27 intermesh suciently at their adjacent peripheries to insure the certain movement of the stay-wire 28, and also to somewhat corrugate the said stay that the cables through which said stay is projected may have aiirmer grasp on the latter. It will be notice-d that the motion is geared up from the ratchet 15 to the pinion 21, so that the intermittent action of the feed-wheels 26 and 27 is very rapid. This is essential, as the stay must be very quickly driven across the entirewidth of the web.

On the shaft 7 is rigidly seated `a cam 29, (see Fig. 9,) whielhvintermittently engages the vertical knife 30, pivoted at 31 to the machine, throwing the upper end of said knife outward and severing the stay 28 the instant the latter has been projected across the web, which when completed constitutes the fence. The stay 28en"ters the machine through an eye 32 in thefstationary metallic plate 33, suitably attached to the machine. The knife passes along the inner surface of the plate 33 and instantly severs the wire 28 at the inner surface of said plate. A suitably-1'eact ing spring returns knife 30 to its normal position.

A wheel 38 is rigidly seated on shaft 7 (see Figs. 4 and 8) and provided with a lug 39, which intermittently engages a vertical bar 40, pivoted at its lower end to the frame ofthe machine and at its upper end to the inner end of a transverse horizontal bar 4], the 'l outer end of which reciprocates through a suitable opening in the frame of the machine. The rotation of the shaft 7 causes the lug 39 to intermittently engage `the bar 40 between it-s pivotal po" nts and throw it and the bartl outwardly. i A pitman 42 is -adjustably pivoted at its outer end to the intermediate por# tion of bar 41, and at i ts inner end attached to an arm 43, integral with and extending forwardly from a rocking` horizontally-seated segmental gear 44, which engages the small pinion 45, rigidly seated on the vertical spindle 46, the upper end of which is provided with vertical twin fingers 47, having a slight interval between them for the reception of the projecting ends of thc stay 28. Such projecting end passes between said lingers while said spindle is at rest, and the next instant the cam 39, striking the bar 40, through the mechanism before described, imparts a rapid rotation to the spindle 46, thereby turning the projected end of the stay 28'back into the adjacent cable. A spring 48, suitably attached to the `frame A at one end and to the bar 4l at the other, return'sthe bar 40, after each impulse of the cam 39, to its original position. The vertical spindle 46 is seated on the rock-shaft 40, suitably journaled trans-` versely of the machine parallel with the shaft '7, andas said shaft /19 is rocked forward the fingers 47 are withdrawn below the plane of the web. On the shaft 49 is also seated a frame 50, transversely ofthe machine, on the upnei` side of which are placed bifurcated mally back by means of a coiled spring 52,`

the .lower end of which is suitably attached to the machine and the upper end of which is connected to the rear end of a substantially horizontal arm 53, seated at its front end rigidly on the sha-ft 49 and extending rearwardly therefrom. The shaft 49 is rocked forward by means ofa half-wheel54, seated rigidly on the shaft 7 and intermittently engaging the lower end of an arm'55, the opposite end of which is rigidly seated on said shaft 4f).

The twisters 70 are actuated in the following manner: On the end of shaft 7, adjacent to the driving-pulley 1, is seated a beveled pinion 56, which engages and actuatesa larger beveled gear 57, seated on the shaft 58, which latter extends horizontally rearwardly from said shaft 7. (See Fig. 4.) On the shaft 58, near its rear end, is seated an eccentric 50, (see Figs.'3, 6, and 7,) provided on its inner face with an elliptical groove 60. A pitman 6l, carried on the shaft 58 by means of a slot 62 in said pitman, which `bestrides shaft 58,

The normal position IIC is'provided with a stud 68, having the usual friction-roller 64, which traverses the groove 60. The inner end of the pitinan tl is pivoted adjustably in a vertical slot 97 in the intermediate portion ,of thejvertical arm (i5, pivotally seated at its lower end on thef rame A and provided 'at its uppervend with the segmental gear GG, adapted Nto be oscilla-ted by said pitm'an transversely of the machine. 'lhe segmental gear GG engages the gear-rack (57, formed on the lower surface of the tra-ns versely-reciprocating bar (i8, which has on its upper surface a gear-rack (if), adapted to engage the geared periphni'es of the twi'sters 70, 'provided each with the wire-openings 7,1 for the passage of the strands of the cables. The reciprocating bar 68 is seated -in suitable ways transversely of the machine,'a11d the twisters 70 are seated in boxes 72, suitably attached. to the frame of the machine.

The cables 7 El are intermittently progressed by the following mechanism: A disk 74 is formed on the end of shaft 7, at .the end thereof opposite to the pinion 5b' thereon, in which the rear end of a pitman 75 is pivoted., the outer end of said pitman being pivotal] y attached to the lower end of the arm 7 (i, the upper end of which is pivotallyseated onthe shaft 77. On the shaft 77 is rigidly seated a sprocket-roller 78, adapted ktofdraw the fence or web forward. A ratchet`79'is also keyed on shaft 77 outside of the pivotal seat thereon of the arm 7 (l. Intermediately on the arm 76 there is seated a pawl 80, which lin the oscillations of the arm 76 by the pitman- 75 engages theratchet 79 and intermittently rotates the sprocket-.roller 78. "A retainingpawl 8l', seated on the frameA A, engages the ratchet 79 reversely to prevent its retrogression. The web or fence, after `passing over the sprocket-roller 7 8, is passed backward over a smooth roller S2 and downward around the reel 23. The belt S4, passing around the pulleyvS on reel 83 aiiddriven from apul-ley 8G on shaft 4, tends to impart a constant rotation to the'reel 825, but not with suflieient force to rotate the sprocket-roller 7 8, but with force enough to tightly wind the finished fence 011 the reel 83, assaid fence' is intermittently advanced `by the action of the pitman 75 and adjunctive mechanism. The belt 84 slips on the pulley 85 during the stationary intervals of the reel S3, and the fence is thereby wound uniformly and tightly upon the reel 85.l The strands for they cables 73y are held taut and prevented from premature progression by weights 87, suitably hung on v.said Wires a short distance back of the twisters 70.

Sometimes in drawing the staywire 2s from the reel 88 the wire will becomel caught or tangled in some mode and thereby interrupt the normal feed of the wire 2S. To avoid injury from this cause, I provide the following automatic stop: Referring to Fig. l. a verti cal lever 89 is pivoted at its lower end to the` frame of the machine.

ter.

A rod 001s pivotally pivoted at itsbase to the machine ortholloor and bifurcatcd at its upper-nml ip gr: sp and shift the belt. 5. -lly moving the upper endvv of the lever Nil toward the machine the upper end of arm ill. is moved fromthemachine and the belt 3 thereby pushed from the drivingpulley to the idler ln order to operate t-he lever Sti automatically, I provide a'pulley n2, over which thel staywire 2H is passed from the reel SS to the machine. 'lhe pulley 92 is 'seated in the lower end ot.' a vertically-recip rocating bar 025, carried in proper ways 94, and suitably hung on aeoiled spring Q5. Any

stoppage in the 'delivery ot' the wire28 fromthe reel S8 tends to draw the pulley 92 and its supporting-bar 93 downward. A rod or bar Sio' is attached at its upper end intermediately to the bar O3 and at its lower end to the lever S9 above the pivotal seat of the latvtherefore, through the medium of the bar or rod 9U, has the et'ect of crowding the lever 'lhe downward movement of the bar 93;

Jeff the driving-pulley 1 at the opposite side of the machine with the same eiiect as though t-he lever Si) had been thrown inward by the operator. i that I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters .latent of the United States, is-

IOO

.1. In a wirefence-making machine, the

combination of a suitably-driven shaft 7, provided with beveledl gear 8, the shaft 1d provided with va beveled gear i) adapted to be e11- gaged and actuated by said gear b and pro-v vided further with disk 1.1, the pitman l2 attached at its inner endto said disk, and at its louter end to the arm 13, shaftlt, ratchet .l5 seated thereon, arm 123 provided with a IIO pawl 1Gv adapted to engage and intermittently rotate the ratchet l5, the gear 17seated on the shaft l-t, shaft Clt) provided with pinion 1S adapted to be actuated by said gear 17, gear 20 seated on shaft lf), shaft 22 provided lwith pinion 2l adapted to be engaged-and actuated by the gear 20, pinion 23 seatedon shaft 22, shaft provided with pinion 24 and r`corrugated feedingepinions 26 and 27 rigidhr seated. onl shafts 25 and 22 respectively, sul stantially as shown and for the purpose described.

2. In a wire-fencemaking machine, thev combination of suitable stay-feeding mechanism, a suitably-rotated shaft 7, provided with a cam 29,'the metallic plate 33 provided with stay-entrance eye 32, oscillating knife 30 pivoted intcrinediately to the frame of the 1n achine-and adapted to engage and sever the wire 28 at its. upper end, and to be engaged at its lower end and actuated by the cam 29, a suitably-reacting spring, and means, substantially as shown. for forein g the stay, after 4 adapted to be engaged intermittently by the severance, to its linal position in the cables 73, for the purpose described.

S5. ln a wire; fence-making machine, the combination of Va suitably-rotated VIshaf t 7 provided with a half-wheel 54, a rock-shaft 49 suitably journaled on the frame A parallel with shaft 7 and provided with an arm 55 wheel 54 and thereby impart arocking movement to the shaft 49, frame 5() seated on said shaft 49 and provided with strippers 5l adaptcd to seat the stay 28, arm seated on said shaft 49 and the spring 52 connecting the frame of the machine with the arm 53 and adapted to draw the latter int-o normal position, substantially as showt: and for the purpose described.

4. ln a wire-fence-making machine, the combination of a suitably-rotated shaft 7, wheel 38 seated on said shaft and provided with lug:r 39, a horizontal bar 41 carried at its outer end in asuitable opening in the frame of the machine, vertical oscillating bar 4() pivoled at its lower end to the frame of the machine and at its upper end to the inner end of the bar 4l in position to be intermittently engaged and driven outwardly by the luf: 39, a vertical spindle 4G seated on the shaft 49 and provided at its lower end with a pinion 45 and at its upper end with the fingers 47, a segmental gear 44 provided with the rearward arm Ai3 and adapted to engage the pinion 45, the pitman-rod 42 connecting the bar 4l with the arm 43. andthe spring 48 connected at one end to the frame of the machine and at its opposite end to the bar-l1 to return the latter bar to its normal position, substantially as shown and for the purpose described.

5. In a wire-fencc-making machine, the combination of a suitably-driven shaft 7 provided with a beveled pinion 5U, shaft 58 extending rearwardly from shaft 7 and provided at its front end with the beveled gear 57 adapted to be actuated by said pinion 56, eccentric 59 seated on thercar end ofthe' shaft 58 and provided on its inner face with the elliptical groove 60, the pitman (il supported on theshaft 58 and provided with stud G3 adapted' to traverse the groove (Si), the 4vertical arm (i5 pivotal] y seated at its lower end on the frame A and provided at its upper end with a segmental gear 6U and pivotally connected to the inner end of pitinan 6l, the transverse reciprocating bar U8 provided on its lower sur.-

face with a gear-rack G7 and on its upper surface with the gear-rack 69 adapted to be engaged and reciprocated by the segmental gear 66, the twisters 7 0 provided with wire-openings 7l and suitably journaled on the frame of the machine and further provided with:

gaged by the pawl 80, the ptinan 75, pivotally connected at its respective ends to the arm 7G and disk 74, retainng-pawl 8l, winding-reel 83, and suitable means for rotating the same, substantially as shown'and for the purpose described.

7 In a Wire-fence-making machine, the combination of the vertical lever 89 pivoted at its lower end to the machine, the rod 90 pivotally attached to said lever above the pivotal seat of the latter and extending horizontally lhrough'the machine, a laterally-oscillating vertical arm 91 seated at the opposite side of the machine and adapted at its upper end to-engage the belt 3, and pivotally connected to the adjacent end' of the rod 90, a'

suitably-supported coiled spring 95, a vertically-reciprocating bar 93 att-ached to saidl end of said bar and adapted to support the Wire 28 between the reel 88 and the machine, the rod 96 attached at its upper end to the bar 93 and"` at its lower end to the lever 89 above the1 pivotal seat of the latter, whereby the downward pressure ot' the wire 2S, caused by any interruption to the action of the reel 88, crowds the .lever 89, through the medium of the rod 96, toward the machine, whereby the rod 90 and arm 91 shift the belt 3 and stop the machine, substantially as shown and'for the purpose described. 4

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses. l

- ALFRED W'ESTERBERG.

lVitnesses:

BENJAMIN S. WHITE, CnARLEs H. SALISBURY.

spring, the-pulley 92 attached to the lower,

loc 

